Pirates playoff merchandise on sale

Pirates fans woke up Tuesday morning ready to celebrate, and for some, that means buying playoff gear and tickets to watch them play postseason baseball.

"My boy texted me about midnight last night and said the store opens at 9 o'clock," said Marty Leap, a longtime fan and season ticket-holder. Leap was among several who showed up at the Majestic Clubhouse Store outside the left field gates at PNC Park.

"I came down here because my mother is a really big fan," said Jason Helfrich. "I had to get a T-shirt and I'm just excited to see what they do the rest of the season."

Jim and Kathy Bennett of Carnegie stopped at the Clubhouse, both excited after Monday night's victory.

"They brought baseball back to Pittsburgh and it's just great," said Jim Bennett. "It's been a great year, a really great year, and them clinching a playoff spot, everybody is looking forward to it.""We're real excited, we're really really excited," said Kathy Bennett. "It's just good for the entire city."

When, where and who the Pirates will play has yet to be determined. But if you're looking to go to the game, be prepared to pay. The cheapest tickets Tuesday morning on Stubhub.com were about $99 for upper grandstand, and the most expensive appeared to be infield box tickets going for as much as $304.50.

Pittsburgh has clinched at least a wild-card playoff berth, but a Central Division title is still possible. The Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds are both two games behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the Central Division, with five games left to play.

Pirates President Frank Coonelly said he has been hearing from excited fans and was thrilled to see them outside the store."Last night was an opportunity for a lot of people to celebrate who's been waiting for a long time. It's been a long time since you could buy a post-season T-shirt for the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's great to see them out here before the store opens," Coonelly said.

The Majestic Clubhouse Store has special store hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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